winter coming on

[the3ofus+oursixchicks]

ok, i live in alabama and this will be my first time with my chickens outside in the winter.i want to get a head start on winterizing and keeping my girls warm. right now we have a big pen with a house inside the pen. the house is made of wood and completely closed in except for the opening for the girls to go in and of course we have a big swinging door so we can look in. and of course all the imperfections in it and around the roof is slight opening. so it is not air tight away from cold air. my pen is completely closed in from over the top to the ground with wood and chickens wire. any suggestions????????????

 

[loanwizard]

I live in Ohio and my coop is not insulated. I had to add a water heater to their water bowl and those birds were fine.

 

[teach1rusl]

In alabama, your birds will do fine through the winter. DO make sure there is ample ventilation well above their roosting area so that warm, moist air can escape. Make sure their roost area is draft free. They'll appreciate windblocks in their run area - wrapping tarps along the sides of the run works well for this - or hay bales stacked along the sides.

 

[Hwlchickmama]

i built my coop like a house... totally insulated and have an "adic fan" to vent the air... im wondering if i should put plastic flaps on the "chicken door" to prevent drafts? or will that scare the girls so that they dont go in and out as they should??